Wisma Putra refutes S. African news reports

By Teh Eng Hock, The Star

The Foreign Ministry has denied South African newspaper reports that the wife of a Malaysian diplomatic staff member was involved in a road accident which caused the death of a man in Johannesburg.

The ministry refuted reports carried by three South African newspapers which claimed that a 37-year-old woman knocked down the 24-year-old man on Saturday morning.

The woman was identified as Reema Abraham in media reports, it said.

“The Foreign Ministry would like to clarify that no Malaysian diplomatic staff member at the High Commission of Malaysia in South Africa is married to Reema Abraham.

“The Licensing Department of the Twasne Metropolitan Police Department has also verified that the plate number of the car driven by Reema Abraham is not a diplomatic number as reported but a local plate number,” the ministry said.

However, Johannesburg metropolitan police spokesperson Inspector Edna Mamonyane said she stood by her earlier press statement that the wife of a Malaysian diplomat was involved in the accident.

“We cannot do anything unfortunately, because she is protected by diplomatic immunity. We cannot bring her in for questioning, we could not make her take a breathalyser test,” Mamonyane told The Star.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the statement from Wisma Putra had been verified and was correct. “No Malaysian diplomat was involved,” he said.

Sources in South Africa said investigations were being carried out on the possibility that the driver had claimed to be the wife of a diplomat to escape the law.

According to South African newspaper The Beeld, the woman drove into the man as he was checking the faulty engine of his stationary car by the highway.

Witnesses said the woman appeared to be drunk during the incident.